• Question by: Jennette Arnold OBE
• Meeting date: 17 October 2001

I would like to take you back, Ken, to project championing, and remind you that we discussed it on at least three occasions as early as 20 December, when we were all agreed that we would be looking to ensure that the World Athletics Championship happened at Picketts Lock. We have heard you say that you have been involved in championing the issue, and clearly we take your word on that, but I believe that many of the athletes and their families, and many of the clubs, and the whole area around Picketts Lock and the people who have been...

• Question by: Andrew Pelling
• Meeting date: 17 October 2001

I will come back to the issue of Crystal Palace; I am grateful to Graham Tope for raising it. Is this an unfair interpretation of what happened immediately after the announcement about Picketts Lock, and I am misunderstanding your tactics? You had made very positive comments about the prospects for Crystal Palace if Picketts Lock fell through. However, you did not push Crystal Palace very hard after the announcement was made. Did you feel it was a lost cause to push Crystal Palace? Did you feel that you had to cut your losses and concentrate on trying to save Wembley?

• Question by: Lynne Featherstone
• Meeting date: 17 October 2001

Moving along from that, you have previously stated that a sports strategy is being developed by the GLA in partnership with other sports agencies. I wondered what progress you have made on that, and whether you have given it a high priority, because it is part of the whole agenda for sport in London.

• Question by: Graham Tope
• Meeting date: 17 October 2001

Finally, would you agree with me that it is crucial, even at this very late stage, that we keep the World Athletics Championship; that, having been awarded it, if we lose it our prospects for getting the 2012 Olympic Games are virtually nil?

• Question by: Graham Tope
• Meeting date: 17 October 2001

Would you consider supporting Crystal Palace now as an alternative venue, given your view about Picketts Lock? What about Crystal Palace and the proposals that are now coming from there?

• Question by: Graham Tope
• Meeting date: 17 October 2001

Thank you for that very full answer. I thought it started off in a very defensive and rather complacent way, and I am pleased that you eventually moved on to accepting that London's reputation does need repairing, whoever's fault that is. The fiasco over Wembley, and the even greater fiasco over Picketts Lock, have damaged us greatly. Would you accept, as you have done previously when we have looked at major events - particularly New Year's Eve - that one of the key factors missing has been clear and strong leadership? With hindsight, what more do you think you could...

• Question by: Graham Tope
• Meeting date: 17 October 2001

Thank you for that very full answer. I thought it started off in a very defensive and rather complacent way, and I am pleased that you eventually moved on to accepting that London's reputation does need repairing, whoever's fault that is. The fiasco over Wembley, and the even greater fiasco over Picketts Lock, have damaged us greatly. Would you accept, as you have done previously when we have looked at major events - particularly New Year's Eve - that one of the key factors missing has been clear and strong leadership? With hindsight, what more do you think you could...

• Question by: Jennette Arnold OBE
• Meeting date: 17 October 2001

One thing you agreed you would do was speak to your policy officers at TfL to have them work with the NSPCC, because that organisation has done many things with other bodies that it could be doing with TfL to make the policies better and to educate your staff about having regard for children travelling.

• Question by: Jenny Jones
• Meeting date: 17 October 2001

I hate to do this to you, Ken, because, being a friendly, talkative guy, you do make a lot of commitments, but during your election campaign you had a manifesto commitment to a traffic reduction figure of 15% across London by 2010. You also said at that time that the east London road river crossing would be built over your dead body, and they would have to put you in the first block of concrete. [Laughter.] Building that road does not fit with your commitment to reduce traffic by 15%, does it?

• Question by: Meg Hillier
• Meeting date: 17 October 2001

So that is your vision for four years? All the other things, when you stand up and make commitments, are really just the window dressing? The Mayor: No. Meg Hillier: It would be very helpful sometimes if you did not make those other spurious comments - sometimes they are rather spurious - but focused on what you are actually trying to deliver. Then Londoners know what they are going to get, and we know how to -